221–01/02- Introduction to Biblical Literature – BROUWER – MWF
9:30-10:20/11:00-11:50
Whether you have never read anything in the Bible before, or have been
reading it all your life, this course is for you. For those to whom
the Bible is a new read, you will gain basic knowledge and insights,
as well as a comprehensive organizing scheme for understanding the
Bible as a whole. For those to whom the Bible is an old friend, you
will come to see its cohesiveness in larger segments, and gain new
appreciation for the extensive and intensive relationship between Old
and New Testaments. We will use a secondary handbook to help guide
our way, and provide outlines and explanatory notes.

221-03/04 – Introduction to Biblical Literature – MUNOA
- MWF 1:00-1:50/3:00-3:50
This courses aim is to study the Bible, which includes the Old Testament,
New Testament, and what Protestant Christians call the Apocrypha. Questions
like “what is the Bible?”, “what kinds of books are
in the Bible?”, and “what do these books teach?” will
be answered in the context of the academic study of the Bible.

222-01/02 – Introduction to Old Testament – Bandstra -
MWF 12:00-12:50/2:00-2:50
This course concentrates on the first part of the Christian Bible,
also called the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible, and is a survey of its
contents: historical events, main characters, literary forms, and religious
concepts. This course provides basic training in how to read a text
that is more than two thousand years old and arose out of an ancient
culture with very different conceptual and worldview structures than
ours. Since this material is also essential background for understanding
the New Testament, connections will be made throughout the course.

241-01 – Introduction to the History of Christianity – TYLER
- MWF – 9:30-10:20
This course explores the birth, growth and development of Christianity.
We delve deep into how Christians lived, the struggles they faced,
and the faith they articulated. Along the way we meet courageous martyrs,
dazzling theologians, dedicated virgins, wilderness hermits, and fierce
warriors. The course is both an introduction to Christianity as a historical
Religion and a journey through the life of faith.

261-01/02 – Faith Seeking Understanding – HUSBANDS – TR – 1:30-2:50
Using the Apostles’ Creed as an outline of faithful reflection
upon the living God of the Gospel, with a careful reading and an informed
discussion of classical figures and texts, this course represents a
study of basic Christian beliefs about God, creation, humanity, evil,
Jesus Christ, salvation, and the church.

264-01 – Christian Feminism – JAPINGA – TR – 12:00-1:20
This course examines the role of women in the Bible and the history
of the Christian tradition. It includes an overview of the contributions
of feminist theology to the ways Christian think about God, Jesus,
human nature, sin, salvation, the Christian life, and the church
and ministry. Multicultural perspectives are included. The class
ends with presentation on current issues such as women in combat
or women in the media.

265-01 – Ethics and Christian Discipleship – HOOGERWERF – T
9:30-9:50PM
This course involves careful reflection about the connection between
Christian beliefs and practices, including the formation of our moral
vision and the role of authority in moral decision-making. Special
attention is given to the way the Bible is used as a source of moral
authority. The course presumes that Christian ethics as an academic
discipline is in service to those who seek to live a life of Christian
discipleship. To that end, the course invites students to engage in
serious, critical reflection about the meaning and practice of discipleship
in the context of a variety of contemporary moral challenges.

266-01 – Christian Love – HOOGERWERF TR 3:00-4:
This course invites students to explore the concept of love as a moral
principle rooted in the Christian tradition and to critically assess
a variety of voices and viewpoints related to the role of love in
the Christian life. We will examine Christian love as it is expressed
in relationship with self, friends, family, marriage partner, neighbors,
enemies, and God. Among other themes explored are the relationship
between love and sexuality, love and forgiveness, and the unique
variety of loves that are part of human life and faithful living.

281-01 – Introduction to World Religion – WILSON MWF 9:30-10:50/Lab
M4:00-4:50
This course will investigate the basic tenets and practices of some
of the major religions of four geographic sectors of the world. The
investigation is divided geographically rather than thematically because
of the nature of religion as it manifests itself in various regions.
The same religion may undergo changes as its focus shifts from its
point of origin; we will note the continuity as well as the changes
as we trace some religions across several of the geographic sectors.

295-01 – Catholic Christianity - ORTIZ MWF 1:00-1:50
This course aims to introduce students to the rich tradition of Catholic
Christianity. To be a Catholic Christian means to have an encounter
with the Person of Jesus Christ, an encounter which alters the whole
horizon of one’s being. For the Catholic Christian, this necessarily
includes an encounter with the Church, Christ’s Body, which
is understood as the extension of the Incarnation through time. Through
the careful study of Catholic theology, literature, art, and philosophy,
students will explore the mystery of what Augustine called “the
Whole Christ,” that is, Christ, Head and Body, and how this
manifests itself in a distinctively Catholic culture and way of life.
Students of all faiths (or none) are welcome.

295-02 – Choices and Changes – BROUWER – MWF 8:30-9:20
How did Christian “doctrines” or teachings become what
they are today? How did the church morph into the congregations and
institutions that we are familiar with? It happened, historically,
through “choices” and “changes”. In this course
we will review the history of the church in overview, not primarily
to memorize all of the details and people, but to think through how
Christian doctrines developed, and how church structures and denominations
came into being. We will focus on “choices” that were made
in times of doctrinal controversies and “changes” that
emerged from new opportunities or emphases that presented themselves.

295-03 – Global Pentecostalism – EVERTS - TR 12:00-1:20
Pentecostalism has been famously defined as the most successful social
movement of the 20th century. It is the fastest growing segment of
the church, especially in the global south. This course will examine
its history, its adaption to diverse cultures and the ways it has
transformed World Christianity.